The highway fund has been depleted.

K-12 and higher education funding slashed.

Tuition is increasing.
2013 funding cuts from the Legislature amounting to 3% in general
support forced the Kansas Board of Regents to swiftly increase tuition
rates for Regent Institutions 1
o Wichita State: 8 percent overall, including 3.5 percent to offset
state cuts.
o University of Kansas: 4.9 percent overall, including 2.5 percent to
offset lost state support. For KU School of Medicine, 7.3 percent
overall, which does not cover the 12 percent state cut.
o Kansas State: 7 percent overall, including 4 percent to offset
state cuts.
o Pittsburg State: 7.4 percent overall, including 4.4 percent to
offset state cuts.
o Fort Hays State: 3.4 percent overall, 2.5 percent to offset state
cuts.
o Emporia State University: 6.5 percent overall, including 6.4
percent to offset state cuts.
After an over 10-year run of increases, the Regents was also forced to
increase tuition rates in 20142
o Fort Hays State University 2.5 percent.
o University of Kansas-Lawrence 4.6 percent.
o University of Kansas School Medical Center 4.8 percent.
o Wichita State University 4.9 percent.
o Kansas State University 5.2 percent.
o Pittsburg State University 5.5 percent.
o Emporia State University 5.6 percent
In 2015, the legislature instituted a cap on tuition increases; meaning
Universities could only increase their tuition 3.6 percent. Each Regents
University increased tuition by the allowed 3.6 percent.3
Again citing significant legislative budget cuts, including a $30.7
million cut to higher education across the state from Gov. Sam
Brownback, the Board of Regents again approved significant tuition
1 Wichita Eagle. Regents approve big tuition increases, blame Legislature
for cutting university funding. 19 June 2013.
http://www.kansas.com/news/article1117647.html
2 Wichita Business Journal. Kansas Board of Regents approves tuitionincrease plans. 19 June 2014.
3 Topeka Capital Journal. Kansas regents hold tuition, fee increases to 3.6
percent. June 18, 2015. http://cjonline.com/news/2015-06-18/kansasregents-hold-tuition-fee-increases-36-percent

increases to Regents Universities. This required the legislature to

remove the cap on tuition increases due to the budget cuts. 4
o University of Kansas: 5 percent
o KU Medical Center: 5 percent
o Kansas State University: 5.8 percent
o Wichita State University: 5 percent
o Emporia State University: 4.9 percent
o Pittsburg State University: 5.5 percent
o Fort Hays State University: 6 percent
Early childhood education funds raided.
Public safety compromised.

As of November 2015:
o 36 Kansas counties were without a dedicated Highway Patrol
trooper
o 29 were served by only one trooper
o The remaining 40 had two or more officers.
Statewide, the Highway Patrol has 82 fewer troopers than it did a
decade ago.5
To address the shortage, the Kansas Legislature passed a law (HB
2696) during the 2016 session to increase vehicle registration fees by
$3.25.
o $2 is a Kansas Highway Patrol staffing and training surcharge to
be used to increase employment and retain personnel
o $1.25 is a Law Enforcement Training Center surcharge to help
with expenses associated with the training center
It is estimated that by 2018, the state will be short 100 beds for male
inmates due to a growing prison population.

State agencies understaffed, and workers underpaid.

4 Lawrence Journal World. Kansas Regents OK university tuition proposals,

including 5 percent increase at KU. 15 June 2016.
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2016/jun/15/kansas-regents-ok-universitytuition-increases/
5 Wichita Eagle. Kansas Highway Patrol seeks increase in vehicle title fees
to pay for more troopers. 8 Jan. 2016. http://www.kansas.com/news/politicsgovernment/article53731240.html

Ray Roberts, former secretary of corrections, told legislators in 2015

that there is a 16% vacancy rate in corrections officer staff and an
average turnover of nearly 30%, citing low salary and safety concerns.6
A report released January 2016 indicated employees at Larned State
Hospital were logging excessive overtime, some as much as 40 hours
in overtime.7
In May of 2015, it was reported8 that
o Osawatomie State Hospital is supposed to have 501 full-time
positions. At that time 189 positions were vacant, or nearly 40%
o Larned State Hospital should have 930 full-time positions. At that
time 322 were vacant, or nearly 35%.
o Part-time vacancies were even higher with 55% vacancies at
Osawatomie and 44% at Larned State Hospital.
To address the staffing shortage, the Kansas Department of of Aging
and Disabilities transferred 100 mental health patients from Larned
State Hospital to a correctional facility.9
Pay raises for state employees must be approved by

Critical services for our most vulnerable citizens are deteriorating.

(Seniors; food pantries)
Sales taxes have increased, giving Kansas the highest combined
state and local sales tax rate on food in the nation.

6 Kansas City Star. Kansas is short on prison guards, Highway Patrol

troopers amid budget woes. 3 Jan. 2016.
http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article52857080.html
7 Topeka Capital-Journal. Documents reveal appalling overtime at Larned
State Hospital. 16 Jan. 2016. http://bit.ly/1twDrGu
8 Topeka Capital-Journal. This is a plea: State hospital workers saddled
with grueling hours, forced overtime amid short staffs. 23 May 2015.
http://m.cjonline.com/news/2015-05-23/plea-state-hospital-workers-saddledgrueling-hours-forced-overtime-amid-short-staffs#gsc.tab=0
9 Lawrence Journal-World. Kansas to move more than 100 psychiatric
hospital patients. http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2016/apr/08/kansas-movemore-100-psychiatric-hospital-patients/